John Hartley - September 2019

Post date: Sep 27, 2019 3:22:18 PM

Vicar’s Message

Dear Friends

Whilst thinking about what to write as my contribution to this month’s ‘clergy offering’ for the United Benefice I was shown some thoughts about life, based on the theme of Noah’s Ark. I am pleased to share with you the thoughts – passed on to me by Sue Brown (of Mellor) who received them from ‘a friend of a friend’.

The piece is entitled ‘Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah’s Ark….’

1 Don’t miss the boat.

2 Remember that we are all in the same boat.

3 Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.

4 Stay fit. When you are 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

5 Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

6 Build your future on high ground.

7 For safety sake, travel in pairs.

8 Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

9 When you’re stressed, float a while.

10 Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

11 No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting …

I think the above points show that life can be very ‘matter of fact’ at times, though it’s never as straight forward as we would wish it to be. As we know from experience, life can be very complicated, both exhilarating and daunting. Yet, when we consider the thoughts expressed in ‘Noah’s Ark’ much of life is actually a matter of common sense – an ‘attribute’ that, sadly, seems to have disappeared from life, as we try to grapple with life’s ‘complexities’ facing us.

Whatever your thoughts on this, why not cut out from this magazine ‘Noah’s Ark’ and display somewhere in your home – how about in the kitchen or wherever you put those little ‘ditties’, etc..

With every blessing

John Hartley